March 1, 2019 | By Lee Spencer

Deegan digs the dirt

LAS VEGAS, NV —Coming off a spectacular win in the K&N Pro Series West race on Thursday night, Hailie Deegan was still enjoying the victory afterglow on Friday.

Deegan, 17, ran down Jagger Jones for the lead on the last lap to pick up her first win of the season at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track and the second of her career piloting the No. 19 NAPA Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing.

“Going into that race, I knew we were going to have to win,” Deegan said. “Last year, I got second, and I wasn’t happy with it. It was my first time racing with a stock car on dirt. “

"I am a dirt racer and I wanted to prove we could be fast on dirt and get it done. I wanted to come into this year and really show we can be competitive during this K&N Pro Series West season and go after a championship. We’re here to win races and run for a championship.”

The Temecula, Californian, who is in her second year on the tour, announced she’ll be making her ARCA debut with Venturini Motorsports at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway on May 19th—the first of six races. Deegan’s schedule also includes Pocono, Madison (Wisc), Elko (Minn.), Lucas Oil Raceway (Ind.) and Kansas. 

Toyota Racing Development is fast-tracking the second generation racer. 

“Toyota and TRD put this opportunity together for me to be racing,” Deegan said. “I start at Toledo Speedway. I have a test there beforehand. My car will be sponsored by Monster, Craftsman, IK9. 

“There are a lot of good partnerships going with my ARCA car. Between the K&N Pro Series car as well. There is a lot of support that’s coming in. We have to get to more racing and get more wins.”

To prepare for Las Vegas, Deegan ran a non-winged sprint car at Cory Kruseman’s driving school at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway on Feb. 24. She tweeted a video of herself behind the wheel with the caption, “I’m hooked.”

Could Deegan see herself returning to Ventura to run Turkey Night or possibly climb in a Keith Kunz midget for the Chili Bowl Nationals?

“I am from dirt off-road truck racing, and that’s a lot different than flat circle track dirt racing,” Deegan said. “I drove that car to get more experience and more comfortable across the board. I was in a car four days before this so I could get more seat time so I could come out here swinging. That was fun to drive. 

“I think getting more practice across the board will make me a better driver. Chili Bowl is a big step. Something I would need a lot of seat time and practice to do. I don’t know if I’d be ready to do that this year. My focus is on stock car racing. I don’t want to drift too far away from that and not take away from stock car racing to do something else. I want to focus on my current championship run.”

The response to Deegan’s early success has been phenomenal. The crowd at the Dirt track roared after she passed Jones and rose to their feet for the finish on Thursday. Deegan feeds on that support.

“NASCAR racing comes down to the races where we’re not just following the leader to the finish,” Deegan said. “It’s going to the last-lap passes and making those risky moves. That’s what makes drivers unique. I think the people who just stay in line become a whole segment of average drivers and I don’t want to be average. 

“I want to be different. I want to be unique for my driving style and my driving ability. Just going out there, I am not afraid to go out there and do something that someone else might be scared to do on the track. I want to go out there and do what it takes to get a win.”